Past seminars

Putting Cycling at the Heart of Transport Policy

SERA seminar with Derek Twigg MP Minister Dft, Tuesday 28th February 2006

Cycling was once the most used form of transport in England and its benefits to health and environmental are numerous. It is an affordable form of transport that can improve the health of individuals whilst improving air quality and tackling congestion and climate change. In some EU countries, cycle journeys outnumber all other journeys made by public transport. SERA held a seminar with the Minister for Cycling, Derek Twigg MP and key stakeholders to critically assess current and future initiatives to boost cycling in the UK.

The Minister outlined government initiatives aimed at boosting cycling. Six Cycling Demonstration Towns have been established with funding of nearly 17 million pounds, to make the environment more cycle friendly, with the offer of safety training and encouragement of take-up through extensive promotion. 50 million pounds has been spent on generating local transport initiatives, which cycling has the potential to contribute to, in all four key policy objectives: accessibility, congestion, safely and air quality. The minister argued that since cycling has the potential to impact upon cross departmental objectives, from child obesity, to climate change, to public transport and congestion and local environments, there needs to be more cross departmental thinking and more joined-up policy making. The minister also warned that successful initiatives could not necessarily be transposed across all regions, since cycling environments widely differ.

Many stakeholders raised concern over public negative perception of cycling, which continues to thwart the many initiatives aimed at encouraging cycling. Thus public perception of cycling as a dangerous activity or sport rather than simply an accessible mode of transport, may be encouraged by government safety campaigns; and using cycle helmets in advertisements may also support this message. The minister countered that poor public confidence was the issue rather than a negative perception per se and that this was being tackled through improving cycling infrastructure, facilities and safety training.

In recent years spending on facilities and infrastructure has dramatically increased, though campaigners argue that the quality of development has often been poor. Narrow cycle lanes are unmanageable for cyclists and pose a safety threat to cyclists by increasing aggression from drivers. Higher standards for the provision of cycle infrastructure will need to be implemented, supported by the adequate enforcement of parking regulations. Contrary to popular opinion, research from Transport for London indicates that 70% of motorists support the use of advance stop lines and other measures to aid cyclists.

Campaigners argue that intimidating road conditions discourage adults from cycling and that the national review of speed limits should result in a 20mph default speed limit for streets where people and motorised traffic mix. This would boost cycling as well as avoiding imposing unfair risks on cyclists, whilst also helping reduce congestion, air pollution and obesity. Health professionals and parliamentary committees support the aim of trebling levels of walking and cycling.

The Driving Standards Agency public consultation on the revised draft of the Highway Code could play a key role in the government's efforts to make cycling safer. However, campaign groups argue that the Code should remove all words such as "you should wear a cycle helmet" as in the past these have given rise to unwarranted "contributory negligence" claims against cyclists or their parents. The draft proposals could encourage drivers' insurance companies to avoid paying damages for any cyclist injured by their clients, on the basis of the cyclist's failure to use a cycle facilities provided.

The Minister said that he would feed back the various comments to Stephen Ladyman MP. He reiterated that he would continue to work to increase user confidence in cycling and to provide encouragement to assist children to cycle through their teens and into adulthood. A report from Transport for London shows that 45% of Londoners are would-be cyclists on a regular basis. The issue is how to encourage leisure cyclists to use their cycles daily in order to change cycling from being just a leisure pursuit to an alternative choice of transport. The Minister also highlighted the significant opportunity to promote cycling offered by the Olympic games and Tour de France.

The meeting highlighted the need to find common aims and objectives among cycle campaigners in order to present a more unified message to government. Alex Veitch, SERA executive and policy advisor at EST, suggested that cycle campaign groups may wish to establish an advisory group, to take the lead in accelerating cycle usage by providing a regular forum for policy makers, MPs, ministers and stakeholders. Alex asked the minister to consider regular attendance at such meetings if a forum where established. The Minister said he would consider this proposal.